Wine Flock Intro Retro - Cabs

Jordan's

Flight 1 (2 notes)

Served blind. This is in an oxidative style (or perhaps just older) that I initially disliked, with some air and time I warmed to it a bit. Apple and pear with some bready notes. A bit of that aged, oxidative note. Good energy. Solid, but I think some dosage or riper fruit would have helped. Disgorged Nov 2004.

Served blind. Again, didn't love the first pour here. The aromas were pretty nondescript and the palate a bit shrill. Second pour after ~20 minutes had picked up some richness, density and sweetness of fruit though there was still pretty intense acid and bead to balance things out. I suspect this is young and needs another few years of bottle age.

Flight 2 (3 notes)

Served blind in a new world/old world Chard flight. This was my favorite of the group (closely edging out a too young '12 Bouchard Corton Charlie). Full, pretty aromatics of creamy rich apple with floral and mineral notes. Round fruit with good concentration -- pushes tropical in flavor. Again good mineral notes. Plenty of juicy acidity to match the richness. Could've easily passed for a ripe vintage 1er white burg. I believe Rhys Chards of this era are showing a bit variable, this was the best bottle of a few I've had over the past 18 months.

Served blind in a new world/old world Chard flight. My second favorite to an 09 Rhys Alpine, but this wine is just too young to show well in this format. Very light gold in color. Medium nose of crisp apple and mineral aromas. Linear and focused on the palate, showing a lighter, crisp body. A few points of upside from here as this gains richness and depth.

Served blind in a new world/old world Chard flight. This is a real dud relative to the other two wines and showing very old. Nose is showing oxidation with rich, bruised apple. Round in the mouth with abundant butterscotch and honey notes. Ripe and rich, but the acids have departed leaving a heavy, ponderous wine.

Flight 3 (3 notes)

Served double blind in what turned out to be a 86 BDX flight. The nose here is amazing -- classic aromas of dried plum, mineral, decaying earth and cigar box. The palate is so layered and elegant. Seems to be fully mature with still fresh and moderately concentrated fruit married to resolving, fine tannin. Terrific length and detailing.

Served double blind in what turned out to be a 86 BDX flight. Much debate about whether or not this was corked. I was initially convinced it was corked, then coaxed into believing it was sound, and changed my mind once again upon reveal when we determined a non-corked version of this wine would show much, much better. The nose here has an earth/funk/cork note that detracts from fresh plum, cedar and cigar. The palate is still showing good fruit (which is why i conceded this may not be corked) but it's a bit dull and fades on the back end. Probably an 86-87 point showing, and most likely a corked bottle.

Served double blind in what turned out to be a 86 BDX flight. A beautifully attractive nose of smoky plum fruit, tobacco leaf and cigar ash. The palate has nice richness and concentration with savory plum fruit. Loads of bell pepper and cigar add interest. Nice fine, chewy tannin in the finish. This has plenty of runway to go.

Flight 4 (3 notes)

Served blind in what turned out to be a flight of 97 Cali Cabs. This was clearly the cream of the crop. The nose is full of big rich plum fruit. The palate is rich, and densely concentrated. Youthful and big, but good underlying structure to balance and pull it off. Excellent with room to go.

Tasted blind in what turned out to be a 97 Cali Cab flight. This is a very modernly styled Cab with a big rich, toasty, mocha nose. Wow, densely packed with ripe toasty black fruit. There is balancing acidity and freshness and velvety tannin. Well-made, with a hint of heat in the finish the only real draw back, if you enjoy the riper, lusher, sweeter style. A bit much for me.

Flight 5 (3 notes)

Tasted blind in what turned out to be a global 98 bordeaux blend flight. This was pretty tight and closed in aromatically. Dense fruit with chewy tannin. Loads of black plummy fruit and not much else right now. Fairly one dimensional. Presumably this has upside with more time.

Tasted blind in what turned out to be a global 98 bordeaux blend flight. A big showy nose with bright, rich creamy plum fruit with mocha and mint notes. Good rich fruit on the palate with lively acidity. Nice herb and tobacco complexity shows up in the finish. One might call this manipulated for the Parker palate, but it was tasty and not overdone.

Flight 6 (2 notes)

Served blind. Dark amber color. The nose is ultra sweet -- marmalade, honey and brown sugar. Super thick, rich and sweet. Someone at the table said, "melted golden raisins" and I thought that was pretty good. Not enough cut to support the unctuous fruit. Disappointing bottle.

The nose here is all pineapples. Thick, rich and tasty on the palate with more pineapple and pineapple cream. Pretty simple, but tasty. Apparently this isn't technically wine given the alcohol is so low.